The Age of an Understatement
by zayhra
Summary: The last time James had seen Lily Evans, he did something inexcusable. So when he sets eyes on her four years later, he has to fight away old feelings and battle new ones. AU
1. Chapter 1: The Meeting Place

Chapter 1: The Meeting Place

She's playful

The boring would warn you be careful of her brigade

In order to tame this relentless marauder

Move away from the parade

And she was walking on the tables in the glass house

Endearingly bedraggled in the wind

Subtle in her method of seduction

The twenty little tragedies begin

- "The Age of an Understatement" by the Last Shadow Puppets

"Are you sure about this, Padfoot?" James asked, eyeing the line in front of the club warily.

Sirius Black grinned at his friend, and patted his back roughly. "Trust me mate, it's where everyone is going these days. I consider it a great sacrifice that I waited for you to be back in England before venturing here."

James smiled crookedly at his friend. As much as he enjoyed Berlin, he had never been happier to be back on British soil. They joined the queue into the exclusive club, and watched as different people were let in and others were turned away. As they reached the front of the queue, the bored woman at the front asked. "Name?"

"We're not on the list." Sirius replied.

The woman raised a neatly plucked eyebrow at him. "Name."

"Sirius Black and James Potter."

They watched as she wrote their names down on a piece of parchment. She waved her wand and the parchment glowed green. She waved her wand again and the door opened. "Go on in."

Sirius and James looked at each other in confusion before stepping into the busy venue. It was beautifully decorated with rich colours and glass tables everywhere. The attention of the room centred on a large stage in the far corner, all the tables and the bar facing towards it. They both made their way to the bar and flagged down the young barmaid. James noticed that everyone employed in this place was young and beautiful, down to the man in the corner clearing up discarded drinks.

"What can I get you gentlemen?" The barmaid asked, smiling up at them. As she grabbed two tumblers to fill their orders, she asked them. "Are you two new here? I haven't seen you around before."

"It's our first time," Sirius confirmed, handing her a galleon.

"You should sit down then, Molly is up next. She's a crowd favourite." The barmaid smiled and gestured towards the stage where three girls were dancing.

"Cheers," James grinned and headed to the front of the stage. As they sat down, the three girls took a bow and headed off stage. The crowd of men (and some women) began to murmur excitedly as the lights were dimmed and curtains were drawn. The barmaid was not lying when she said that everyone seemed to anticipate the next act.

A man dressed in black robes that glittered in the spotlight came to the front of the stage and grinned. "Are you having a good night?" The crowd cheered. "Well, I know you'll have an even better night after our next act. Please welcome to the stage again, the electrifying, the ravishing, _Moll la Maraudeur_!"

The moment she stepped on stage, James' whole body froze. He recognised her instantly, and his heart started to hammer so painfully he wanted it to stop completely. Beside him, Sirius let out a loud expletive that only James heard as the crowd around him erupted in cheers.

Approximately 4 years, 8 months and 12 days ago, James had gotten into the first major argument he had had with his parents. It seemed that he finally did something that they both completely disagreed with, and they wanted to do everything they could to stop him.

"She's a lovely girl, James, she really is." His mother had pleaded. "And under any other circumstances, we would never object to you marrying her."

"But this isn't any circumstance, James." His father had chimed in. "It's becoming more and more dangerous out there, and marrying a muggleborn would only put you in harms way."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," James had regarded his parents in horror as he shouted. Their calm voices only seemed to anger him more. "Out of all the people in the world, _you_ would discriminate against Lily for something _she can't help._"

"It's not about her, don't say that." His mother had started crying. "It's about you. We're worried about what would happen to you."

James couldn't hear the rest, and he had left his parents' house in a fit of rage he had never felt before. He had no plans to break off his engagement with Lily, and he didn't care what his parents thought. He was an adult, he thought, and he would do whatever the hell he pleased.

The problem was that fits of childish opinions were easier thought when his parents were alive. However, when his father had passed away a week later, James was shell-shocked. For days he had sat alone, reliving the last words he had spoken to his father. How he angrily stomped away when his parents only wanted to help him. To save him. And no matter how much he wanted to ignore it, he could not shake away the guilt and the weight of his father's last request. Even thinking about it made James _loath_ himself, but he knew he had to do it. He didn't want his mother to go the same way his father did. So the next day, he did the unthinkable.

He met Lily at their favourite coffee shop, and he found it extremely difficult to not break down as she beamed at him from her chair, as she stood up and kissed his cheek, then grabbed his hand tenderly and asked how he was doing. He had avoided her since he heard about his father, and he found himself marvelling at how dark and red her hair was, how her eyes glittered with affection when she looked into his. But he had made a promise to himself, and belatedly to his father. It was for his own good.

James felt like he was hallucinating at one point. How was it possible that Lily was up on that stage, wearing her Hogwarts school uniform? James knew it wasn't exactly _her_ school uniform, since the skirt was a lot shorter and the shirt much tighter than he'd ever seen her wear. She was wearing a black tie like first-years before they got sorted, and her hair was held in loose pigtails. She beamed at the audience then pouted playfully. The music started and she began to sing. James watched in shock as she danced in one spot, singing about a Quidditch Captain with big blue eyes. She made her way down the stairs and sat down on the lap of a man in the first row. She ran her hand through his hair and continued to sing about the Captain, and how she _wants_ him so, and_ needs_ him so, but he doesn't know, no no no. She stood up again, letting go of the man, and James felt a burst of anger when he saw the man still holding her exposed upper thigh, but Lily didn't seem to notice. She made her way up the stage again, subtly touching another man's shoulder as she passed by him. Finally, she made her way up the stairs and faced the audience. Almost at once, her eyes caught James', and he saw her pause so quickly no one else had noticed. She ended her song in a high note, lifting her hand to her head. The crowd around him erupted, and James stood up quickly, Sirius, who seemed to be just as shocked as James, following him.

"Mate, you alright?" Sirius asked tentatively as they waded through the crowd. "I swear, I didn't know. If I did…"

James grunted and made his way to the bar. The barmaid smiled as they approached.

"I need to speak to Lily Evans." James said immediately.

The barmaid frowned. "Who?"

"Lily Evans. She was _just_ on stage."

The barmaid shook her head. "Do you mean Molly?"

"Yes, her. Whatever." James resisted the urge to shake the barmaid.

"The performers don't really meet the audience," She said slowly. "And just so you know, Molly is one of our most… popular girls. She's already taken for the next fortnight."

Sirius jumped in at the look on James' face. "We're old friends of her. Sirius Black and James Potter."

"Er-" The barmaid looked around, and then called over a man in a lime green coat circulating the place. "Magnus, these two men say they know Molly. They want to speak to her."

The man eyed them both. "What are your names?"

"James Potter, Sirius Black." Sirius spoke up.

The man nodded. "I'll let her know."

As soon as Lily left the stage, she collapsed on the floor and held in a sob. He was here, she had seen her, and he sure as hell had seen her. The flood of emotion she had suppressed for years came flooding back, and she found it hard to concentrate on the dancer that crouched near her, looking concerned.

Shakily, she got up and brushed through the crowds backstage until she reached her dressing room. She couldn't dwell on this, not right now. She took off her costume slowly, and donned on her next one. She ignored her pale reflection in the mirror, took down her pigtails and brushed through her hair just as Magnus came in.

"Sweetheart, two men are at the bar asking for you." Magnus said.

"I thought there would be," Lily sighed. "I'll be out in a minute."

Magnus nodded. "You only have ten minutes before you're next on, sweetheart, remember."

"Don't worry." Lily smiled and straightened. She followed Magnus out and in through the crowds, ignoring the lustful looks she was getting as she passed by. Lily was not the prettiest girl in the show, not by a long shot, but it didn't seem to matter to them. She was there, in touching distance, and that's all these men seemed to care about.

James watched as Lily made her way through the crowd. She was wearing a dark blue dress, the sort that tied from the side, and her hair was down. Closer up, he could see that her lips were stained dark red, a colour he could never imagine _his_ Lily wearing. But this wasn't his Lily.

"Sirius," Lily smiled, rising on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. She ignored James completely, and turned towards the bar.

"You were brill today, Moll." The barmaid smiled at Lily.

"Oh darling, I'd believe you more if you didn't say that every day." Lily grinned at her. "Yellow dragon, on ice. Drink, Sirius?"

"Er- sure." Sirius looked at James, who was regarding Lily stonily.

"Make that two, Tilly."

As Tilly handed Lily the two drinks, Lily tipped a handful of sickles on the counter.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Moll? You don't have to pay."

"And how many times do I have to tell you, darling, that I don't take anything for free." Lily smiled at the girl, and then finally turned towards James. "What do you want?"

"Hello, Lily. It's nice to see you too." James gritted his teeth.

"What do you want, Potter?" Lily replied coolly.

Sirius spoke up. "What are you doing here, Lily? What happened to the job in the _Prophet_?"

Lily turned to Sirius. "It's funny how quickly they sack you when you're a mudblood who severed ties with a prominent wizarding family."

James ignored the spasm of guilt. "Don't call yourself that."

Lily regarded him slowly, and then turned back to Sirius. "I didn't have many other options."

"You could have owled me, or Remus, or your friends." Sirius frowned.

"I learnt quite quickly not to put my entire life into someone else's hands. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"And by that you mean wearing too-short skirts and being ogled by men?" James hissed.

Lily's eyes flickered momentarily, and then turned icy. "Don't criticise my choices, James, and I won't judge you for yours."

James glared. "I need to speak to you privately. Or are you too _busy_ tonight?"

For the first time, she smiled at him, ignoring his tone. "Oh darling, even if I wasn't I don't think you can afford me."

"Molly!" A voice behind her spoke, and Lily saw Magnus approaching them.

"Duty calls," Lily smiled at Sirius. "Owl me sometime, I'd love to catch up." Then, she turned to Magnus. "Mag, this young man here wants to _speak to me privately_." Lily said condescendingly.

Magnus looked at James, who was still glaring at Lily, and then spoke to her. "I'll take care of it. Go."

Approximately 4 years, 8 months and 3 days ago, Lily listened numbly as James wittered about his father and about them. Lily did not cry. In fact, she wasn't sure she was able to cry. She felt as if he had taken the part of her that could cry over being hurt. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but she dealt with it the same way she dealt with any pain. She held herself straighter, her face frozen in an expression of complete passivity. As he ended his spiel with a "I'm so sorry, Lily. I really am." Lily met his gaze. She nodded, and gave him a smile that did not reach her eyes.

"I understand." Lily said slowly, and stood up. She looked down at her hand and took off the beautiful sapphire ring he had given her only two weeks ago with the promise of forever.

She left without another word. She wasn't lying either, she completely understood why James had decided to break off their engagement. At least, she did at the time. Hadn't it happened before? Sev was her very best friend, the one person she trusted more than anyone, and he had decided that her blood was poison. James could disguise his fear with familial obligation, but she was a clever witch. She knew, and she understood.

However, it wasn't until she was sacked from the _Prophet_ that things really hit home. James was her security blanket. If anything would happen, he was always there to hoist her up again. But, with him gone it became steadily obvious that she was stupid. She should have had a plan B. No matter how many NEWTs she had, or whether she was both Prefect and Head Girl, the magical world seemed to want to distance itself from her. It didn't help that as soon as she was gone, the _Daily Prophet_ had printed her estrangement from James in their gossip column.

After trawling through failed job applications, Lily finally settled for a job as a shop assistant in a small shop in Knockturn Alley. To compensate for the abysmal wage, she was allowed to live in the small office over the shop. She had stayed in that shop for over a year, growing disenchanted with the Magical world. She ignored letters from James, Remus, Mary, even the one she got from Sev after the Prophet article. She was embarrassed and angry. It became much easier to hate James and the position he had put her in the longer she had slept in the mouldy office, living off tins of tomatoes and washing herself with the small basin in the room.

Magnus found her in a dodgy nightclub in Hogsmeade. After a particularly gruelling shift at work, she headed out with her colleagues to get smashed. She danced until sweat was dripping down her back, and drank so many pints of lager that her mouth started to taste bitter. As she left the club, a man about her height approached her with a business card. He assured that he wasn't about to murder her, and offered her a job. Lily took the card with no intention of calling him. It was only when she got home and actually looked at the card that she faltered.

The Occult

Magnus Burbage

Talent Acquisition and Manager

The Occult was _the_ place to be on weekends. It was known for its wide-selection of exotic drinks, tasteful and handpicked clientele, and of course its women. The Occult women came in all shapes and sizes to cater to any taste, and were known for their amazing talents and coquettishness. If you were a dancer, singer or performer in the wizarding world, you start at the Occult.

Lily spent a fortnight studying the card, debating the prospects of working in a place full of the philandering rich and famous. As much as she hated her job, it provided a sort of stability. The Occult would be much more exciting, she knew, but what would happen to her if they decided she wasn't what they wanted anymore? The more she thought about it, the more it terrified her. If she got too old, or lost too much weight she would be on her own again. But hadn't she done that before? Lily realised that she could not leave in fear for another year, and the thought of her staying in the dingy flat all her life made her ill. So, channelling whatever Gryffindor she had in her, she tore off a piece of parchment and wrote,

Magnus,

Thank you for your offer. I would like to accept your proposal, but under a few conditions…

A/N: Haha this is simultaneously what I love and hate about fanfiction. And I wrote it. Please review, let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2: The Price

Chapter 2: The Price

**So if you're looking for a good time**

**And you're prepared to pay the price**

**Fifteen quid is all she asks for**

**Everybody's got their vice**

**- 22, Acacia Avenue - Iron Maiden**

Lily walked in to the small caf, inhaling the stale smell of the fryer and looking around for her companion. When she spotted Sirius Black at the back of the small space, cradling a cup of coffee, she smiled.

"Hello Stranger," Lily said, bending down and kissing him on the cheek. Sirius lifted his eyebrows as she sat across from him and flagged the young man in the apron. "I hope you don't mind me eating," She smiled. "I don't remember the last meal I had, and it will be a long day at work."

"Don't be daft." Sirius said, smiling back. He watched the waiter blush as Lily ordered a plain omelette and a cup of tea, and waited until they were alone again to speak.

"You look well," Sirius said, taking a sip of his drink. She was wearing an oversized jumper, black trousers and trainers. She would have looked exactly like the Lily he had known almost five years ago if it wasn't for the dark red lipstick she wore. Her eyes were also lined with kohl that was slightly smudged, and she no longer wore an air of innocence. In fact, it seemed like every move, every smile was calculated and mistrusting.

Lily smiled again, "You're very kind. I don't remember the last time I bought clothes. I think I've had this jumper since our sixth year at Hogwarts." She fingered the faded yellow fabric as she spoke, and Sirius realised that the last time he had seen her, she carried a large sapphire ring on her finger.

Sirius figured he should cut right to the chase, and eyed her wearily. "So, do you want to tell me what happened, exactly?"

"That was quick. I see you haven't really learnt the art of restraint yet," Lily grinned, and then shrugged. "I told you. Potter and I ended it, and as soon as Skeeter in the _Prophet_ found out, it was decided I was too dangerous. People assumed the Potters would blacklist me, though I assured them they wouldn't. What I said didn't matter anymore, though."

"So you thought you'd become a dancer?" Sirius quirked an eyebrow.

Lily shook her head. "I thought I'd get another job, and when that didn't happen, I lived in a cupboard on top of a shop and made friends with spiders for about a year."

"You could have owled. We would have helped. James regretted what he did the instant you were gone. We all tried-"

Lily raised a hand to silence him. "I didn't want your help. Let's not kid ourselves, Sirius. We were- we _are_ friends by proxy. If it weren't for James, we would have remained acquaintances." Lily looked up as the waiter set down her plate and beamed at him. "Thank you, darling."

Sirius ignored the interaction between them, and glared at Lily. "What about Remus, then?"

Lily shrugged. "I didn't want to put him in jeopardy. I know he relied on the Potters to keep him sheltered and fed. I thought Potter might resent him if he had kept in contact with me. Remus would never want to upset him."

Sirius sighed. "That's not true, Lily. You know it isn't."

For the first time since their conversation began, Lily looked agitated. "No. The one thing I learned is that I don't know anything."

They remained silent as Lily ate her food, taking miniscule bites. When she finally set down her knife and fork, Sirius spoke again. "So how does this thing in the Occult work? People hire you to do what, exactly?"

Lily smiled. "It's not what you or Potter thinks. I mean, it is, but it isn't. The girls only get hired after a long screening process. Every man we do business with has to be approved by Security."

"And what's business?" Sirius asked, raising his eyebrows.

"It depends," Lily shrugged again. "We get hired to be dates for galas, balls, ministry events. Sometimes, it's more long-term. I guess you could say we're girlfriends with set contracts."

Sirius frowned. "You mean people hire you to be in romantic relationships with them?"

Lily nodded. "Oh yes. There are many lonely men, sometimes women, out there. The contracts are six months long, and sometimes can be extended to nine if I like the man and he likes me back. I have very specific rules, you see."

"The Occult let you set your own rules?"

"It's in my contract, and they can't afford to lose me. I'm very popular." Lily smiled at Sirius widely. "I dance and sing three times a night in exchange for a few set privileges. I can always so no if I don't like a man, I don't move in with them, and only I can choose whether to extend the contract or not."

Sirius hesitated for a second, and then asked. "And how many men have you been in… long-term relationships with?"

"Three in total. Like I said, I'm very picky. I do go on many dates in between, though."

"And are you seeing someone now?"

Lily grinned. "Oh yes, and he's my favourite so far. Absolutely perfect."

Sirius didn't question her meaning as she stood up, dropping a muggle note on the table. "Speaking of work," Lily said, running a hand through her hair. "I'm late for rehearsals. We have a few new songs to learn for next month."

Sirius walked her to the club, and they embraced.

"Can I ask you something?" Sirius asked, watching Lily ring the bell.

"I thought that's what you've been doing for the past hour." Lily smiled.

Sirius laughed. "You're right. But still, I'm curious."

"Go on then," Lily said.

"You're a Marauder, now?" Sirius asked, and for the first time all afternoon, Lily flushed.

"I suppose I am. I hope you don't mind." Lily tried to hide her discomfort, though her cheeks continued to redden.

"Not really, I was just curious."

Lily regarded him closely before answering. "I was sentimental, I suppose. And a small part of me- Well, it sounds stupid now, but-" She turned around as the door opened, and a man looked at her expectantly. Lily looked back at Sirius and smiled sadly. "A small part of me wanted it to be easy if he ever tried to find me. I didn't think he'd find someone else instead."

* * *

41 days after Lily left James sitting in the restaurant, his mother passed away. James would never admit to anyone that the first person he thought of when the Healer announced Mrs Potter's death was Lily. Then, the guilt of what happened came flying back. James was too proud to admit he made a mistake, but he knew the way he treated Lily was dreadful, and to ask for forgiveness would be too much. So, when a job in Germany opened up, James jumped at the chance and moved only a fortnight later.

In his first night in Berlin, James sat at a busy wizarding pub, drowning himself in drink. As he finished his sixth pint, a small figure slipped on the seat next to him.

"Hello," The woman smiled. "I hope you don't mind, but that man at the bar has been pestering me for the last half hour, so I just told him you were my boyfriend."

James glanced at the man standing a few feet away from them, sending him dirty looks, then back at the woman next to him. James had the horrible habit of comparing every woman he met with Lily, and that instance was no exception. Lily was tall and slim, with small breasts and slender hips. Her hair was long, and she rarely wore make-up or jewellery. In contrast, this woman was short and curvy, her dress only accentuating every curve. Her light brown hair barely reached her chin, and her blue eyes were lined with gold. Later, James thought that he couldn't have met someone so different from Lily if he tried.

The woman looked back at the bar and sighed in relief. "He's gone, thank heavens." She turned towards James and smiled, "Though the company here isn't that bad."

James raised his eyebrows and couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips.

"Do you have a name?" the woman asked, sipping her drink.

"James Potter."

"Hello James Potter, I'm Sylvia Fawley."

James shook her hand that was adorned with different rings. For a fleeting moment, he wondered what Lily would think of Sylvia. Lily got along with everyone, and she always seemed to find something to talk about. However, he had a feeling Sylvia wouldn't appreciate another beautiful woman getting any attention that could be directed at her.

"Can I buy you a drink, James Potter?" Sylvia asked as James surveyed her.

"I'm not sure you should go to the bar again, the man might think you're coming back for him."

Her tinkling laughter took him by surprise. It was Lily's laugh. The way she raised her head, how her eyes sparkled with mirth. Even the tone of her voice was so similar to Lily's that James' chest constricted. And the moment he realised Sylvia had Lily's laugh, he knew he was gone.

When James was summoned to the office, the last thing he expected was to be reminded of the night he saw Lily. Still, luck didn't seem to be on his side.

James sat across from Madame Furmage just as she asked. "Have you heard of the Occult, Mr Potter?"

James stuttered. "Er- yes. I was there last week, actually."

"Well then, you might know that it's a very popular place to be." Madame Furmage tutted as she spoke. "You're not even allowed in unless your name is influential. It's extremely bigoted."

James recalled the woman at the door writing his name and Sirius' on a piece of paper before he was allowed in. "I did get that impression."

Madame Furmage said. "Well, unfortunately for you, your next assignment involves someone who works there, a dancer by the name of…" James' heart galloped in his chest. "Bridget Rosier. She comes from a line of alleged Death Eaters. Her alias is Bibi Dynamite." Madame Furmage rolled her eyes. "Silly name, I don't understand those girls and why they choose the names they have."

James swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "And what do you want me to do, exactly?"

"Well Potter, since you've been in our German offices since you started, people don't realise that you work for the Ministry. It will be easy for you to infiltrate without being noticed."

"I'm engaged." James frowned, surprised at what his boss was saying.

Madame Furmage glared. "I'm not asking you to run off with the girl, Potter. All you have to do is get to know her, take her to dinner every once in a while, and gather as much information about her family as you can. I'm sure Sally will understand."

"Sylvia." James sighed. In fact, he knew Sylvia wouldn't be happy about the arrangement at all. She was very protective of him and her reputation. However, he doubted he had much of a choice. So that night, he went to the Occult for the second time and found Tilly at the bar.

"Hello," James smiled at her. "I was hoping to speak to someone about a performer."

"Of course. Mr Potter, isn't it?" Tilly smiled and flagged down an incoming waiter.

"You have a good memory." James said as she pointed at him then put up two fingers.

"It's part of my job, sir. Plus, Molly is one of my favourite girls here." She said, nodding at the stage.

James didn't comment, but turned towards the performance area and saw Lily up there, dancing with three other girls. They were kicking their heels in the air and giggling as the cheerful music echoed throughout the club.

From his right, James noticed a man approaching him. "Hello, you requested a meeting?"

"Er- yes." James nodded.

"Well, let's go somewhere more private." The man smiled, and led him through the club to a room near the stage. "I'm Cecil Burbage."

"James Potter."

"Right you are, Mr Potter. This is the waiting area; I just need to see what women are available when. Magnus should be right along."

Burbage left the room, and James surveyed his surrounding. It was a small area with a few comfortable-looking settees, a bar and three stools. Behind the bar was a good-looking, dark skinned man. He was chatting amiably with a young patron.

James slid on one of the stools, and the barman looked up. "I'll be right with you, sir." He said, then grabbed a tumbler and poured in a dark liquor. He handed the man his drink, then turned to James.

"Dark ale, whatever you have on tap." James said, surveying the man next to him. He was staring at the bar determinedly, his dark hair covering his face.

As the barman poured James' drink, a light behind the bar flashed blue, and the barman frowned. "Excuse me, sir." The barman said to James, and then turned to the other man at the bar. "Finley, Magnus will be with you in a second."

When the barman left the room, James turned to Finley. "Alright?" James nodded amiably.

The man looked up at James, and then averted his eyes quickly. "Hello."

James blinked at Finley confusedly, and then shrugged, not expecting any other conversation.

"That was strange, the blue light." Finley spoke up after a minute of silence, still looking at anywhere but James. James blinked again. "Yes, it was."

"My girlfriend told me there's no reason to worry unless the light is yellow. Then she told me I have to come find her." Finley said, colour rising to his cheeks.

James hesitated. "Does she… work here?"

Finley nodded. "Yes, I pay Magnus thirty galleons a day so she can be my girlfriend. She says she only gets half of it, but I still do it."

James shifted uncomfortably. "And what's it like?"

"Well, I give Magnus the money at the end of every week. I count all thirty galleons and put it in a leather pouch, then I go to his office and give it to him or Cecil."

James frowned. "That's not what I meant-"

James was interrupted when the door opened again, and his eyes widened in surprise when Lily came barging in. Her eyes met James' for half a second before her gaze settled on Finley, and she grinned.

"I told you to wait in my dressing room." Lily said, making her way to Finley. She kissed his cheek tenderly but Finley remained motionless, as if he was scared of frightening her off.

"I don't like it there. The other people in the hallway stare and laugh at me."

"No one's laughing at you." Lily smiled, fixing the collar of his shirt.

"Yes they do. They all think I'm odd." Finley fidgeted, his eyes not meeting Lily's.

"Well, I don't." Lily said so genuinely that James' heart panged.

Finley finally looked up, meeting Lily's kind gaze. "You don't."

"That's right." Lily smiled again.

Finley smiled for the first time since James met him. "I love you."

"I know, darling." Lily said. "And what are we doing tonight?"

"You're done with work in an hour," Finley said matter-of-factly. "We will go to dinner. I will have the veal and you'll have butternut squash soup because that's your favourite. We will share a chocolate torte. Then, we will go to my flat. We will talk because you're a good listener. We will go to bed and I will-" He hesitated for the first time.

Lily flushed, the only indication that she was aware of James' presence. Still, she urged him on. "You will what?"

"I will lick you, then we will have sex. If you want."

The idea of doing either of those things with Lily made James' cock stir despite of himself. He frowned at the couple.

"I always want to spend time with you." Lily said, touching his cheek.

"And then tomorrow morning when you wake up, before you leave, maybe you-" Finley hesitated again.

"Go on." Lily smiled.

Finley glanced at James quickly, and Lily's eyes narrowed. "Ignore him. Go on."

Finley looked at his hands as he spoke quickly. "Maybe you can… do what you did in the car last Tuesday."

Lily's smile widened. "Of course, darling. Will that be before or after breakfast?"

Before Finley could answer, Magnus entered the room. "Mr Finley," he nodded. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Finley nodded jerkily, then glanced back at Lily. Sensing his hesitation, Magnus said. "Don't worry, sir. Molly will wait for you right here."

Finley looked at Lily for conformation. "I will." Lily smiled comfortingly at him.

When they left the room, Lily made her way behind the bar and poured herself a butterbeer. James had a feeling she was planning on ignoring him, but he couldn't help his curiosity.

"Was that-" James said, hesitating for a second. "Was that Bran Finley? The politician?"

Instantly, Lily looked up and glared at him. "What do you think?"

James looked back at her indignantly. "Do you mean to tell me that you're seeing the other Finley? The one who was in St Mungo's for years after he tried to Avada Kedavra himself."

Lily held her head high but didn't reply, and James bristled. "Lily, that's insanity. He's supposed to be highly unstable."

"That is none of your concern." Lily hissed at him. "And Felix is fine. Does he look unstable to you?"

"Frankly, yes." James glared back. "Honestly, Lily. What happened? You could have asked Slughorn for help, he would have found you a job instantly. McGonagall, Dumbledore… You don't have to entertain mentally unstable men."

Lily ignored this, and smiled evilly. "You know, you being here doesn't bode well for your engagement."

James froze. "You heard about that?"

Lily laughed humourlessly. "Who hasn't heard about it, Potter? And you're finally living up to your family name too. I heard she's an affluent pure-blood. That alone deserves a congratulations."

James' eyes narrowed. "Her blood means fuck all to me."

Lily snorted. "That's what you want to believe. We both know it's not true."

"Oh, that's great." James glared. "So you'll just continue blaming me for the rest of your life, then?"

"No, I will continue to blame you until you admit that you were a horrible and dishonest shit." Lily glowered, and James resisted the urge to walk out.

They continued to glare at each other until Magnus entered the room again, followed by Finley. At once, Lily's stance changed, her shoulders relaxing and her expression clearing.

"There, I told you she wouldn't go anywhere." Magnus said to Finley.

Lily smiled. "You need to stop worrying, Felix. I'm not going to leave you."

"But Magnus said in two weeks I have to stop seeing you because someone else already asked for you to be his girlfriend."

Lily's head whipped to James as if he was responsible for this and then looked back at Finley. "Well, two weeks is plenty of time."

Finley gulped, looking as if he was about to vomit. Lily grabbed his hand, and said. "Come on, I'll walk you to my room and come find you after the last song. Hush now."

When the panicking Finley and Lily left the room, Magnus turned to James and sighed. "Not many women could handle him. She's a saint."

James didn't say anything. Magnus spoke again. "So, Mr Potter. I heard you're interested in doing business with us."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in ages. I've been insanely busy. I'm working on the next chapter of my other fic too so please be patient!**

**Also, I have a tumblr now woohoo. The link is on my profile :) xx**

**Please review!**


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